Apparatus for making sheet-glass.



No. 770,832. PATENTBD SEPT. 27, 1904.

J. P. TAYLOR. j V APPARATUS FOR MAKING SHEET GLASS.

APPLIOATIOH-PILED APR. 16, 1903.

K0 NOBEL.

19 m VENTOE A rromve rs.

. *UNILIED STATES Patented September 27, 1904. V

PAT NT OFFICE.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING SHEET-GLAI'BS- SPECIFICATYON forming part of Letters Patent No. 770,832, dated September 27, 1904.

Application file! Apriilfi, 1908.

To all whom it concern: Be it known that I. JOH.\ P. TAYLOR, a citizen of the United States. and a resident of Cicero, in the county of Hamilton and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Making Sheet- Glass, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain novel and useful improvements in an apparatus for making or forming sheet-glass.

In carrying out the present invention I have particularly in view an apparatus for forming a the glass sheet so. that both sides of the latter 5 will be polished to the same degree.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the molten glass maybe easily and readily conveyed to and deposited on or in a novel form of table or carriage arranged adjacent to the receptacle carrying the molten glass.

A further object of my invention is toferce the molten or liquid glass from the receptacle through the medium of a charge of air or S steam or any gas, aiid I have further in view means for forming a cushion of air or steam in the receptacle or table for the sheet, such moltensheet of glass being supported in its formation by the cushion of air, steam, or a'ny 39 suitable gas or vapor.

"With these and other objects of asiinilar nature in view the invent on consists in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts, as is described in this specification, delineated in the accompanying drawings, and

set forth in the appended claims. Reference'is-to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a glass-table and a tank or receptacle containing the molten glass to be conveyed to the table, a portion of said receptacle being broken away to show the interior thereof; Fig. 2 is a front view of said-receptacle and table, said table for the sheet'glas's being mounted upon .the carriage, the body or box of the table being shown in transverse section. Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation of said tank or receptathe like.

Serial in. 152,885. on model.

cle, showing it tilted to pour the molten glass upon the table, a portion of said table being shown in section. Fig. 4 is a view showing the same-parts in aditferent relative position, the table being shown in vertical longitudinal section, while the receptacle is shown in elevation. Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation, showing the rollers and a relatively large revolving disk or plate mounted abovethe truck or carriage for maintaining the glass sheet level v while cooling; and Fig. 6 is a top view there-' of. Fig. 7 is a face view of the front of the receptacle.

Referring now to the accompanying draw- -ings in detail, ldesignates a wheeied truck 5 or carriage adapted to run upon the tracks A, such truck being provided with upwardiyextending parallel standards 2 2, which standards are adapted to support the trunnionsB 3, formed in the sides'of the cylindrical molten- 7 I glass-receiving tank 4. This tank may be of any desired shape or form; but I prefer to have the same of cylindrical form, the shell 5 of said tank being formed of metal, the inside oi said'siieil being lined, is at 6, with a refractory substance, such as a clay of the sort generally used for making glass-melting pots and The upper portion of the receptacle or tank is formed with an opening or entrance 7, having a cover 8 fitted thereto, which cover 30 is adapted to render thcsaid openingair-tight.

Glass is run from the spout in the side or end of the melting-tank through this entrance or opening into the receptacle, while at the opposite or lower end of the tank is formed a 5 slot or transversely-elongated opening 9,

through which the molten glass is adapted to pass upon the carriage or table. This elongated opening is preferably of a width equal to-the width of the sheet of glass it is desired 9 to form, and the molten compound is forced from the tank when it is tilted to the positions shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4 through the medium of air, gas, or steam admitted under pressure into said tank through the entrance-port 10. 95.

The table for the glass sheet is designated as a whole by the numeral 11 and comprises i a flat box-like portion having a bed 12 formed therein, approximately equal to the dimensions of the desired sheet of glass. This table 109 is mounted upon a wheeled truck the wheels 13 of which are adapted to run upon rails B, extending parallel to and between the tracks A, the distance between the rails B being. of

i stoodthat a plurality of trucksl and receptacles lmay be used The flanges 14 1-1 formed on v the table are adapted to receive the glass as it is poured or forced from the receptacle, the sheet of glass being sustained and prevented from. falling int the bottom of the table through the medium of acushion of air, gas, orsteam, which is passed under the glassand fills the bed of the table. The gas, steam, or air may be conveyed to the bed from any suitable source of supply, one example of which is shown at the left in Fig. 1, comprising a storage-tank a and a duct 5, communicating with the table, said duct havinga valve 0. The fluid is maintained atasuflieient pressure so thatthe force exerted by the same will not bulge or cause bubbles to form in'the sheet of glass, yet will be sutlicient to prevent the sheet falling upon the bed. To insure that the sheet of glass, which I have shown at C, will be held in contact with the flanges,l employ a series of rollers, as at 15, journaled in a frame 16,

- suspended above the truck or carriage in any suitable manner (not shown) for the table, such rollers being designed to pass lightly over the edges of the glass sheet reposing on the flanges, thereby preventing the air escaping by forcing the sheet up from the flanges, for, as will be evident, should the air forming the cushion escape the semiliquid sheet would drop into the bed of the table and be spoiled. This is prevented by the rollers 15 hearing on the edges of the glass shell resting on the flanges. Any excess of pressure of the cushion of air or gas is relieved through the medium of an exhaust-valve 17, communicating with the bed of the table.

- Revolubly mounted upon a spindle 18, arranged alongside the track, is a. wheel or disk 19, under which disk the carriage or table travels, and said disk is adapted, when the car riage is moved to a position thereunder, to extend over the sheet of glass being formed. The under surface of this disk is coated with a non-heat-conducting material, such under side, while the disk is revolving, being sprayed v with water from aperforatcd pipe 20. The

heat rising from the surface of the glass will convert the liquid on the disk into steam, the result being that a film or coating of steam is formed above the sheet. As air or steam is admitted to the bed of the table or carriage while the glass is being formed, the sheet will be pressed upward into contact with the under side of the disk, which will preserve the levelness of the sheet, the film of steam preventing direct contact with the material of the dish, while the rollers 15 will hold the edges of the sheet firmly on the flanges ol' the table.

From the above description, taken in coneupy the position shown in Fig. 3that is to say, the table or carriage extends beneath the receptacle, and when the latter is tilted the open or month end of the same rests at the forward end of the table. \Vhen the carriage is drawn away from the table, such a move.- ment causes to be deposited upon the latter the amount of glass. necessary to form a sheet of the required size. After this operation the table is moved to a position beneath the rollers, and the latter, in conjunction with the disk, operate to form the sheet, as herein before described. The'formation of indentations or flaws on the sheet of glass is avoided, and a sheet approximately level is quickly made, as the rollers acting on the edges of the sheet and the disk extending over the main body of the said sheet tend to preserve the smoothness and levelness of the same. The end edges .of the glass sheet may then be held upon the table in any desired manner, (Not shown.)

While I have shown and herein described one particular embodiment of my invention, it is of course to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise details of construction shown herein, as there may be modifica tions and variations in certain respects without departing from the essential feature cf the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof. v

Having thus'described my invention, I claim, as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent 1. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a movable receptacle adapted to contain molten glass, 8. table arranged adjacent thereto, means for forcing the glass under pressure from the receptacle upon the table, and means for causing the formation of a fluid cushion to sustain the glassupon said table, substantially as set forth.

2. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a movable, tilting receptacle adapted to contaia molten glass or the like, a table arranged adjacent thereto, means for forcing the molten glass under pressure from the receptacle upon the table, and means for causing the formation .of a fluid cushion on the table for said glass, substantially as set forth.

3. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a receptacle adapted to contain molten glass or the like, a table arranged adjacent thereto, means for forcing the molten glass from the receptacle to the table, means for causing the formation of a fluid cushion for the glass upon the table beneath the glass sheet, and pressure-rollers adapted to pass over the edges of the giass sheet to hold the latter in contact with the table, substantially as set forth.

4. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a receptacle adapted to contain molten glass, a wheeled truck supporting the same, a table for forming the glass sheet, a wheeled truck supporting said table, whereby the latter may be moved into a position adjacent to said tank, said table havingabed formed therein, an inlet in the tank for the molten glass, an outlet therefor, means for forcing the molten glass from the receptacle to the table under fluid pressure, means for forming a fluid cushion on the bed of the table-for sustaining the glass sheet, and pressure-rollers pissing over the edges of the glass sheet to hold the sheet on the table, substantially as set forth.

5. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a receptacle adapted to contain molten glass, a table for forming the glass sheet, such table having flanges upon which thesheet rests during formation, rollers arranged above the flanges for holding the sheets in contact with the latter, and a disk mounted to revolve above said table, substantially as set forth.

6. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a receptacle adapted to contain molten glass, a'table for forming the glass sheet, such table having flanges upon which the sheet is adapted to rest du ring formatioma disk mounted to revolve above said table, the under surface ofsaid disk being coated with a non-com ducting material, and means for spraying the under su rfac of the disk witha fluid, the construction being such that a film of steam wiil be formed between the glass and the disk, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof; have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

I JOHN P. TAYLOR. Witnesses:

' IRA E. Barman, 

